Your child may have been identified as having special educational needs at Primary School or at their current secondary school if transferring beyond year 6. This information is communicated through transition meetings with the primary school SENDCo.
In addition, the school will conduct baseline assessments for year 7 students and others as necessary, on entry, to highlight any areas of concern and to identify any children with special educational needs. The school also uses standard entry test data and KS2 data to establish additional needs and this then informs support and interventions. Further data is collected at regular intervals to monitor progress throughout all interventions.
The school provides for all Special Educational Needs where mainstream is deemed appropriate.
Further testing may also be conducted to identify a specific area of need and support will then be provided accordingly. Referrals are completed for involvement from outside agencies if deemed suitable. The Inclusion Department works collaboratively with teaching staff and the leadership team to identify individual needs and support each child effectively. Teachers are encouraged to raise any observations of possible need through the SEN referral system.
If you suspect your child may have special educational needs please contact Mrs S Fry on 01444 414001 who will organise contact with our SENDCo Miss S Goodyear or other relevant SEND Faculty staff. Our SENDCO is supported by a Deputy SENDCO Mr S Allen. Mr Allen is the lead SENDCO for year 9. (From September 2024)
As part of the transition programme, your child will have the opportunity to attend transition days at the school during the summer term of year 6. Pupils will have an opportunity to experience school life, explore the site, meet staff and get to know individuals at the school that will support your child. Additional transition visits are available with the SENDCo where required. Additional transition sessions will be available for students with SEN, upon invitation.
Most students will follow a standard curriculum supported by Quality First Teaching. All staff are given training on differentiation in the classroom and we adhere to the concept of `every teacher is a teacher of SENâ as per the Code of Practice. However, in some instances, the teaching and curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of a child. A range of interventions are put in place to meet the needs of individual students. These include Literacy, Numeracy, Social Communication, Speech and Language, âEmotional Regulationâ and `Starving the Anxiety Gremlinâ sessions. These are given based on assessment of need.
It is policy and practice at Oathall to work with parents and in particular to engage young people in planning their provision and reviewing their progress at every appropriate opportunity.
In preparation for KS4 the curriculum of SEND students is reviewed and appropriate provision identified involving the child and parents.
Studentsâ progress is monitored at three assessment points throughout the year, with a termly report sent to parents. Parents are invited to consult with staff at an annual consultation evening.
Letters will be sent to parents informing of any interventions provided by the school and where relevant, providing strategies to support your child. The SENDCo also offers parent sessions on revision techniques as well as strategies to support your childâs needs.
Parents will be invited to attend and contribute to reviews and meetings at appropriate times for their child in accordance with Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2014.
Students are allocated to tutor groups. The group tutor is the main point of contact for parents to direct concerns to and provides continuity for the child and parents. There is also a pastoral leader (Head of Year) in charge of each year group. Within this system, pastoral staff oversee the progress, care and guidance of individuals and groups of students. You are free to contact subject staff directly to discuss your child using the Staff Contact list on the school website.
Parents who require specific guidance about supporting their childâs Special Educational Needs can contact the SENDCo through Mrs Sarah Fry on 01444 414001.
Every child has a Group Tutor who monitors their tuteesâ welfare and well-being daily. An Assistant Head of Year is attached to each year group and can provide extra support as appropriate when children are referred by Group Tutors or Heads of House. Learning Support Assistants are deployed to work with students with a high level of need.
Oathall has robust Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures which ensure children are kept safe.
A pupil with specific medical needs will have a Health Care Plan drawn up in consultation with their parents and Mrs A Blackwood (School Welfare Assistant) and where necessary an NHS school nurse. This link provides essential information about the studentâs condition and the steps to be taken to manage the studentâs medical needs and/or medicines in the school.
To promote emotional well-being the school encourages ways to ensure a studentâs social involvement in school life by engaging them in leadership activities, school council and extra-curricular clubs and activities.
The school provides a range of specialist services delivered by staff at the school as well as accessing external specialist services. Â Access to these services are co-ordinated by the SENDCo.
Specialist services provided by school:
- Learning support â SENDCo, Learning Support Assistants
- Pastoral support â Heads of Year, Assistant Heads of Year, Group Tutors
- Careers support â Work Related Co-ordinator
- First Aid/medical services â School Welfare Assistant
Specialist services accessed by the school may include:
- Fair Access Team
- Alternative Provision College Inclusion Team
- Careers Advisory Service
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
- Childrenâs Social Care
- Early Help
- Educational Psychology Service
- Ethnic Minorities and Traveller Achievement Team
- Family Support Work
- Learning and Behaviour Advisory Team
- Occupational Health Service
- Sensory Support Team
- School Nursing Service
- Social Communication Team
- Special Needs Assessment Team
- Speech and Language Team
- Virtual School for Looked After Children
- Young Carers Support Service
Staff supporting children and young people with SEND have a wide variety of qualifications and training to maintain a breadth of specialist support within the school.
Training and Qualifications:
- NASEN SENDCo qualification
- SENDCo regularly attends SEND locality meetings and briefings by the local authority regarding accessing support, sharing good practice and new legislation regarding SEND
- Holistix training for Early Help Plans
- Supporting students with particular types of SEND
- Training through our SEND Locality Group
- Restorative Justice Training
- Access arrangements courses
- Literacy training
- Designated person (Child Protection)
- Designated person (Children Looked After)
- Child protection training by all staff as required by legislation
All trips and enrichment (extra-curricular) activities are available to all students. The school will ensure that appropriate support is provided where required.  Where Special Educational Needs/Disabilities exist all cases will be assessed individually and discussions take place with parents to address any specific needs. Only in exceptional circumstances where a risk(s) may exist, may a child be unable to access a trip. Information about school trips and enrichment activities can be found on our website
Young people with SEND are enabled to engage in activities available for all students who do not have SEND by providing resources to access full participation. Identification of provision takes place through collaboration with staff, parents and the young person. LSAs will support on trips and additional digital resources are available to support learning.
Oathall Community College is equipped with disabled toilets and changing facilities for easy access and inclusion. Disabled parking is located directly next to the school entrance. We have undertaken significant work to make all of the ground floor buildings accessible for anyone using a wheelchair. The newly refurbished maths & science building has accessible classrooms and science laboratories on the ground floor. Timetables can be adapted as appropriate. Parents and their children are welcome to visit the school with SEND officers to assess the suitability of accessibility of the Oathall site. The school has an Accessibility Plan (which is found in our Inclusion Policy).
The school offer the following support to ensure that any transition to another setting at 16+ will be effectively supported:
- Independent Careers advice
- Moving on plans (S139a)
- Post 16 Options Evening for parents and students held in September
- Work Related Learning experience for year 10 students held in enrichment week
- Attendance at college open days and taster days
The School Work Related Learning Co-ordinator is the person in the best position to advise students and parents. The Work Related Learning Co-ordinator can be contacted on 01444 414001.
Staffing:
Resources are allocated according to needs. In terms of in-class support, the resources are allocated in the first instance according to any statutory requirements that the school has. Thereafter, LSAs and mentors are allocated based on needs identified in reports from external agencies and from the outcomes of teacher, parent and student discussion/review.
Equipment:
Where the support required involves a physical resource then these will be considered on an individual basis following discussion/review (as above).  If considered beneficial to the progress of an individual and is reasonable and practical, the resource will be provided.
All students with special educational needs will have a Pupil Profile which summarises their needs and recommends strategies for all staff to be aware.
- Literacy and Numeracy will be allocated based on the standardised scores, established from on entry testing in year 7 and review testing during year 7 and 8.
- The effectiveness of provision is evaluated using both hard and soft data. The intervention coordinator will set regular targets and review them with the student.
- The Educational Psychologist will provide advice and guidance on prioritising support for Oathall students
- The Speech and Language therapy service provide advice and targets to support individual students
- The Social Communication team also provide advice and targets to support individual students
- Classroom access arrangements are provided according to in house assessment and staff referral. External examination access arrangements can only be provided following assessment by our visiting assessor and Joint Council for Qualifications agreement
All parents are actively encouraged to participate in their childâs education. This may be through discussion/email with group tutors, subject teachers or year leaders.  Parents are encouraged to contribute to their childâs EHCP/Pupil Profile in order to improve targets and focus support. The school has an active Parent Partnership.  All parents are members and welcome to attend meetings and events. Parents are always welcome to volunteer their help within the school and have the opportunity of joining the Governing Body. Parents are welcome to bring a supporting adult to meetings.
Parents interested in their child joining the college in the first instance should view the college website which provides an overview of the achievements, provision and the life of the school.
Enquiries about Special Educational Needs are best handled by contacting Mrs Sarah Fry on 01444 414001 who will organise contact with our SENDCo Miss S Goodyear or other relevant SEND Faculty staff.  Miss Goodyear will be happy to discuss how your childâs needs can be met at Oathall. Please note that due to high demand, parental meetings are kept to 30 minutes with our SEND team.
The Headteacher, Mr E Rodriguez would be happy to discuss any general inquiries and arrange an introductory tour of the college. Â Mr E Rodriguez can be contacted at [email protected]
Parents can also receive advice and support from the SEND IAS Special Educational Needs Information and Advice Service at:
Email: Â send/[email protected]
Website:Â Â https://westsussex.local-offer.org/services/7
Parent engagement and participation in SEND matters is an ongoing process.  If disagreements about SEND provision arise, Oathall would wish to meet with parents and children at the earliest opportunity. The college believes it is only in a spirit of mutual openness that amicable resolutions can be found. If any concern does arise, please contact Mrs F hatchard, Assistant Headteacher at [email protected].
Oathall does have a formal complaints procedure which can be accessed on the college website.
- MIDYIS â cognitive testing
- KS2 data Results of year 6 (Primary School) assessments in reading, writing, mathematics and science
- SEND Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- KS3 Key Stage 3. Years 7, 8 and 9
- KS4 Key Stage 4. Years 10 and 11
- Pupil Profile
- School Engagement Plan
- EHP Early help Plan (Social care plan to coordinate the work of agencies supporting
- children and families)
- EHCP Education, Health Care Plan
- HCP Health Care Plan (Specific plan supporting childrenâs physical or emotional health needs in school)
